Munyeong recoiled, making his reluctance plain by stepping back. Even in the middle of all this, Yeon Haejeong shot him an irritated look for being so particular and pressed on.
“You’re sleeping on the streets and you’re still being picky?”
“……It’s not that……”
“That deadbeat had loan sharks put a guarantee in your name, didn’t he.”
“…How did you know……?”
“One phone call from me and I can find out the names of your ancestors.”
At the sudden boast, Munyeong let out a silent sigh and gave a small nod.
“Even so, I still don’t understand…… why I have to go to your place.”
“You have nowhere to stay.”
“……Th-that’s true, but.”
“Am I being weird?”
He cut straight to the heart of what Munyeong was hesitating about. He was right. Yeon Haejeong was being a little strange.
Whether Munyeong ended up on the street or got thrown out with nowhere to go — that was none of his concern, and he wasn’t the type to make it his concern. He seemed to know that himself, because he quietly added,
“I know. I’m being weird right now.”
“……”
“I don’t really know why I’m doing this either. But.”
Even as he seemed confused himself, he spoke with a tone of resignation mixed with resolve. Munyeong could only stare at him blankly, still looking dazed. Yeon Haejeong, his expression caught somewhere between embarrassment and irritation, couldn’t quite meet Munyeong’s eyes as he opened his mouth again.
“I can’t just watch you sleep on the streets.”
“……”
“…So come inside. Stay at my place for now, just until things settle.”
It felt a little different from usual. Instead of twisting his words around in that nasty way of his, he was being straightforwardly, honestly open about what he felt. And on top of that, this wasn’t a small favor — it was an enormous one.
Munyeong snapped back to his senses and swallowed dryly, steeling himself as he struggled to get the words out. This didn’t feel right to him. His place, of all places. No matter how much he’d lost everything, how could he possibly stay at his home.
“……Even so, I don’t think I should be putting you out like this.”
“Going to be stubborn about it?”
“It’s not that…… no matter what, how could I possibly…… shamelessly……”
“For fuck’s sake, I said I can’t watch this. I can’t stand looking at you like this, so get in.”
“……”
“If you’re scared I’ll try something — don’t be.”
“……What?”
“I won’t do anything without your permission. I told you before, I’m not in the habit of forcing myself on someone who doesn’t want it. I’ve got plenty of people who are willing.”
The completely unexpected topic made heat crawl up the back of Munyeong’s neck. The memory of that indecent night — one he’d been trying to forget — rose up, and his eyes darted around in a fluster.
“Stop being stubborn and come in.”
“……”
“You know it’s not a good look, a man with nothing putting on airs?”
That one crooked remark finally pulled a hollow laugh out of Munyeong. Strangely enough, words like that — mean and twisted — felt more like the Yeon Haejeong he knew, and it put him at ease. He muttered the spiteful comment and started ahead, pulling the suitcase along. Every fiber of his being hated the idea of being indebted to someone — but with no other options, endlessly refusing the other man’s kindness was just foolishness.
Munyeong ended up following behind him, shameless as it was. He was grateful for the offer, and yet his heart felt heavy — and at the same time, there was a ticklish flutter somewhere inside his chest. Things were drifting somewhere he hadn’t expected. He had quit his job specifically because he didn’t want to start liking him again — and now here he was, somehow ending up at his home. He couldn’t tell if this was right. His rational mind wasn’t giving him a clear answer.
Munyeong stood there blankly, watching the back of Yeon Haejeong as he walked ahead with that brusque energy.
The Yeon Haejeong he knew would normally have acted like he didn’t recognize Munyeong no matter what situation he was in. He was someone who had always been consistently indifferent to other people — nobody knew that better than Munyeong. And yet, ten years ago and even now, he was showing Munyeong a kind of consideration he didn’t extend to others. Every time Munyeong needed it most…, every time things were hard.
In a way that’s impossible to refuse…. That just makes a person’s heart shallow and wanting……
**
“Use this room.”
The room Yeon Haejeong opened up for him was right next to his own bedroom. As he’d said, there were several rooms. Four on the first floor alone, and what looked like about three more on the second. Munyeong had no idea why this particular one, but he knew he was in no position to argue, so he accepted it quietly.
“……Thank you, truly.”
Munyeong bowed deeply, and Yeon Haejeong wrinkled his face in discomfort and snapped at him.
“It’s just the two of us — you planning to keep that formal speech up the whole time?”
“Hm…? Ah……, I still think it’s better to keep it… don’t you?”
“And when exactly were you calling me Haejeong, Haejeong?”
He mimicked Munyeong’s soft tone in a mocking drawl, and Munyeong went red in the face, sputtering that he, wh-when did he ever do that.
“The company.”
“…Yes?”
“Why did you quit.”
He’d brought a bottle of water and was sprawled on the living room sofa, asking in a flat, offhand tone. Munyeong had been drifting around the spacious house like a stranger, and at the question that came out of nowhere, he fumbled, unable to answer easily.
“…I, it was just……”
“Just? Must be nice having such a cushy life that you can quit just like that.”
“……Ah, n-no, it wasn’t that……”
He couldn’t bring himself to say because of you — and he couldn’t say it was because of anyone, either. Because the truth was, he had run away out of his own preemptive fear.
“Never mind. Go wash up first.”
Unable to bear looking at Munyeong’s grimy state any longer, Yeon Haejeong cut it short. Munyeong, who’d been standing there awkwardly, nodded and opened his suitcase to take out a change of clothes. He was about to move when he stopped.
“…Wh-where’s the bathroom……”
With so many doors he didn’t know which was which, Munyeong hesitated before asking. Yeon Haejeong glanced at him directly and pointed to the room at the very end of the first floor. And then —
“Hold on.”
His expression turned frightening in an instant. Yeon Haejeong shot to his feet and grabbed Munyeong’s jaw, tilting it up sharply.
He hadn’t looked closely enough to notice it before — but there was a cut at the corner of Munyeong’s mouth. A wound that was clearly from being struck by someone.
“Did you get hit, you bastard?”
The question came out sharp and blazing, and Munyeong blinked at him with a startled face.
“……Ah.”
He had briefly gotten into a scuffle trying to take back his lease contract and bankbook from the thugs’ hands. Of course, he was quickly overpowered — outnumbered and outmatched in strength — but in that moment he had taken a slap to the cheek.
Munyeong tried to cover the corner of his mouth with an embarrassed look, but Yeon Haejeong knocked his hand aside firmly and asked again.
“Those bastards hit you?”
“……It was just, a bit of a struggle…… just one hit……”
His halting, awkward answer was met with the audible sound of teeth grinding.
“Those fucking bastards……”
The murmur sounded almost like he was talking to himself, and Munyeong looked at him with wide eyes. He met his gaze head-on — Yeon Haejeong was staring intently at the cut at the corner of his mouth. The expression on Yeon Haejeong’s face was more terrifying than the loan sharks had ever been.
“What.”
At Munyeong’s staring, Yeon Haejeong tossed out the word flatly. Munyeong shook his head slightly, flustered. His behavior felt strange. More blatant than usual. The way he was treating Munyeong — as if even now he was deeply worried about him — came across more directly than it ever had before. A ticklish, almost embarrassing flutter spread near his heart, and Munyeong dropped his gaze — just as a low, heavy sigh fell from Yeon Haejeong. There was a weight to it, a sense of frustration, and Munyeong’s shoulders flinched slightly — before an even quieter voice followed right after.
“……Why do you always go around getting hit.”
